From time-to-time I come across a beautifully-restored passenger car (usually a Victoria hardtop or convertible) at a show, wearing a badge on each front fender that declares "Thunderbird V-8"). I suppose that means it was powered by a 292 rather than a 272, in model year 1956. Is the foregoing correct, and were those badges factory-correct and if so, for what model years?

c.d.p.

 

312 V8 was the "thunderBird" engine...
even the Valve covers were embossed with Thunderbird
The Thunderbird exhaust unlike the larger cars with the cross over pipe
came out each side then down under the car...
the Y block first year was 54, 1 year before the "chevy" OHV
it was 239ci just like the last year Ford Flat head
when Chevy came out with the 265ci Ford enlarged the Y block to 272, 292 for 55
then in 56 the it was enlarged again to 312, which then was the only engine you
could get in the Bird...
Best

 

CLARIFYING original QUESTION: When a 1956 Crown Vic sports a "Thunderbird V-8" badge on each front fender . . . is that badge factory-correct or is that a result of a hot rodder's "badge engineering" (ie. somewhat like an STP sticker on each back window)?

c.d.p.

 

So that is a good question
go to this site, they are 50's Ford mostly
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/

Although I would think if the cars you speak of have a 312 with the supercharger
they might have had the badges on the fenders either factory or dealer installed.
Good luck.

 

Still searching (and I thought this would be an easy one)

C.D.P.

 

It is not hard to believe that the Factory would put those badges on the fender.
They put the T-Bird engine in the cars, which back in those days, could blow
the doors off of a corvette.
You found no info on the "Barn" site?
Have you tried the AACA library?
Or if it is real important to you, find a Ford dealer who has been in business
for 70 years... I've gone that route myself when searching for info.
Best